Police blamed, commander outraged

A recent accident in Krogh Street in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) is blamed on the way police vehicles park in front of the Makhado police station.

When those involved in the accident met with the local station commander regarding the incident, they were allegedly met with severe aggressiveness.

On 31 July, a police van was parked illegally on a yellow line in front of the Spur on the corner with Landdros Street.

The 43-year-old Ms Salphina Mashimbyi drove down Landdros Street and stopped at the Krogh Street junction. Because of the police van obscuring her view, she inched forward into Krogh Street before turning right. The next moment, she collided into the 52-year-old Mr Japie van Staden’s vehicle.

On completion of their statements at the charge office in Krogh Street, they went to see station commander Colonel Francois Ramovha to enquire whether anything could be done about the way the police vehicles park.

Mashimbyi and Van Standen said they politely greeted Ramovha and were shown to their seats.

“The moment I mentioned the parking of the police vehicles, it was as if someone had flipped a switch and the station commander carried on in a most aggressive way. He said I was disrespectful,” Van Staden said.

“The station commander was very, very rude. He said that the government had provided the police with the parking and that they would park there, whether we liked it or not,” Mashimbyi added. She said that she observed Van Staden as a kind person.

Van Staden and Mashimbyi both said that the station commander accused Van Staden of being rude. “I saw that we were getting nowhere and got up to leave, which was when he got more agitated and shouted all the more,” Van Staden said.

Mashimbyi said that she stayed behind.

“Ramovha said ‘I hate his attitude’. I told him if Mr Van Staden had approached you wrongly, just forgive him. He opened the window looking down on the street and at that point, another police van parked wrongly. I told him it was just by the grace of God that people passed here every day without an accident. Then he calmed down,” Mashimbyi said.

“All I wanted from Ramovha was to say that they would try and do something about their parking problem. Somebody might get killed in an accident,” Van Staden said.

The way in which police vehicles park and the inadequate parking space in that area has been reported on  in the Zoutpansberger numerous times.

A written response was requested from the local police spokesperson, Capt Maano Sadiki, both regarding the behaviour of the station commander and the police vehicle parking problem. On Tuesday, Sadiki said telephonically that the police would comply with the request in due course. Later on the same day, Van Staden got a call from Col Ramovha. 

“He said that I had been rude and that my intention was to get him to pay for the damage. I suppose the tactic was to get me agitated, but fortunately I did not fall into that trap. I feel that a station commander has the safety of the town in his hands, so to speak, and should act responsibly,” Van Staden said.

News - Date: 17 August 2012

Linda van der Westhuizen

Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.

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